Sparks fly when a former bully moves in with her former victim in New York Times bestselling author Susan Stoker’s tantalizing third foray into Alpha Cove, a spicy military romance steeped in emotion.
Ex-fighter pilot Lincoln “Linc” Young is a survivor, masking his PTSD and nightmares behind a calm exterior. When his father’s death brings him back to Maine to help his mom, he never expects to cross paths with his former high school tormentor. But the woman who once made his life hell now stirs completely different emotions in Linc, and when he finds Harper in need, he impulsively offers her and her young son a place to stay.
Harper Bates thought she’d hit rock bottom after returning to her childhood home in Rockville, Maine. Then her father begins judging her every move—and worse, her son Kash, when they discover he’s being bullied at school. The last person she expects help from is Linc, the boy Harper herself had bullied years ago. Now a commanding presence who makes her and Kash feel safe, Linc inspires both a growing attraction…and lingering shame over her past actions.
Temporary cohabitation quickly turns into something more as Harper and Linc reveal intimate secrets that put them both on a path to healing. But they’re unaware someone else has a secret. And it’s about to impact the one person the couple can’t live without—Kash.
New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author, Susan Stoker has a heart as big as the state of Tennessee where she lives, but this all American girl has also spent the last fourteen years living in Missouri, California, Colorado, Indiana, and Tennessee. She's married to a retired Army man who now gets to follow her around the country.
Thank you to Montlake and NetGalley for the ARC of The Pilot by Susan Stoker in exchange for an honest review.
The Pilot blends small-town romance with a touch of suspense and follows Harper Bates, a single mom returning to her hometown after years of trying to build a life for herself and her young son, Kash. Coming home also means facing someone from her past: Linc Young, a medically retired Air Force pilot and the man she bullied mercilessly in high school. When circumstances lead Harper and Kash to temporarily move in with Linc, the forced proximity makes it impossible to avoid the past. Old wounds, guilt, and complicated feelings quickly rise to the surface.
What stood out most to me in this book was the character work. Harper isn’t written as a perfect heroine, and I appreciated that honesty. She knows she treated Linc terribly in the past, and much of her emotional journey centers around confronting that guilt and trying to become a better person for both herself and her son.
Linc is also a compelling character. As a medically retired Air Force pilot dealing with PTSD and insomnia, he carries his own trauma while still showing patience, kindness, and quiet strength. Watching him slowly let Harper back into his life was one of the more emotional aspects of the story.
Kash, Harper’s son, ended up being one of my favorite parts of the book. His growing relationship with Linc adds a lot of warmth to the story, and some of their interactions were genuinely sweet. The small-town setting and the found-family dynamic also help create a comforting sense of community around the characters.
The writing style is easy to get into and keeps the story moving. The dialogue feels natural, and the chemistry between Harper and Linc develops throughout the book. The open-door scenes are well written and fit naturally within the emotional tone of the story.
My main critique would be the pacing of the romance. Because Harper and Linc have such a complicated history, I would have loved to see a slightly slower build to their relationship. A little more time spent developing their emotional connection early on would have made some of the bigger emotional moments land even stronger.
Overall, this was an enjoyable small-town romance with suspense elements and strong emotional themes of forgiveness, healing, and second chances.
Readers who enjoy the following tropes will likely enjoy this book: small-town romance forced proximity single parent found family second chance / redemption arc protective hero military hero
This book would be especially enjoyable for readers who like emotional contemporary romance with strong character growth, small-town settings, and a mix of heartfelt family moments and romantic tension.
i believe that this is a well deserved 5 star book and just genuinely the most wholesome book ever so if any of the following sounds appealing to you or if you just enjoy cute romance books with a side of suspense then this is for you!!! oh my gosh this book was literally the most immaculate thing i’ve ever read, it was so wholesome and just overall adorable. and lincoln like holy that man is genuinely such a gentleman and everything you could ever ask want from a guy. honestly this book wasn’t what i thought it was going to be, i haven’t read the other books in the series (i definitely will be now) so i didnt know what i was really getting into besides from all i found out in the description but it was amazing. it’s written in third person which isnt what i usually go for but nevertheless it was spectacular, it added to the plot to be honest and aided the progression of the book making it feel more elevated. the plot however!! couldnt have seen it coming, i was just reading in bed all cozy and that and then holy i was stressing for a hot minute. the plot twist was wholely crazy but like sort of nice at the same time, it really showed how people can change and be better which was a really nice message towards the end of the book. and linc and harper (the main characters) were just so considerate towards eachother, i think from all the books ive read they have got to be in top ten couples. both of them put in equal effort and although they took time getting into the real relationship they just like did it for eachother which is just absolutely adorable. also the representation of trauma and hardships in life was explored in sensitive ways which made the book all the more meaningful and really pulled you in to empathise with the characters.
id also like to thank net galley and susan stoker for the opportunity to read an ARC copy of this :)
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this e-ARC of this book releasing in August 2026.
This continues the lobster cove series - each following a different brother - as per her usual themes, each brother was in different variations of military and has certain “baggage”. This book is about Linc and Harper.
Linc is the airforce pilot with a lot trauma from a mission that left him stranded and on the run for his life. Now, settled back in his hometown- small town Maine - he’s struggling with being back and dealing with the nightmares and insomnia. The one thing that does take his mind off it all - is single mom Harper. But their past is complicated because they have known each other all their lives and Harper used to actually bully Linc in school. But after graduation, Harper took off to the city and had one hardship after another, until she came back to their hometown with her son to move in with her father. After another argument between Harper and her father, she runs into Linc. He offers for her and her son to move in with him - to help Harper out. She reluctantly accepts the offer - but their attraction continues to quietly simmer - can two broken people with history move past it all for their happy ending?
This is probably my least favourite of the series so far, I didn’t connect with their love story, and it just missed for me. Excited to see what she does with the next book - Knox’s story.
Lincoln Young is a former fighter pilot but after he had to eject and landed in North Korea, his injuries make him have to quit flying jets and moved back to Maine. He has insomnia and barely sleeps. Harper Bates went to New York to become a model but it didn’t work out. She returned home, with her son Kash, works at Walmart and lives with her dad. But that is not working out and Lincoln offers for her and Kash to move in with him until they can find a place. They went to school together and Harper just happened to make Lincoln’s life unbearable by bullying him. Neither can believe they are living together after how she treated Lincoln. But he has forgiven her and really enjoys having both of them living in his house. The attraction is slow burning at first but Harper is humbled by how Lincoln tries to take care of her and her son. But someone out there is waiting to harm one of them.
This is the third book in the Alpha Cove series. Lincoln is a very forgiving man and isn’t afraid to show how he feels. Harper is beautiful and loves her son beyond belief and will do whatever it takes for him to be healthy and happy. Military. Steamy. I was honestly afraid to read what was going to happen. Great story that will have you reading until late into the night. I read and am writing this review voluntarily. I received a copy from Netgalley.
The Pilot was an emotional read for me from beginning to end. It blends second chances, healing, and cohabitation in a way that gives the story a lot of heart, while still keeping the romance at the center.
Even though this was the third book in the series and I haven’t read the previous ones, I was still able to follow along easily. If anything, this one made me even more curious about the rest of the series. And after that ending, I’m especially interested in picking up the next installment.
What really made this story stand out for me was the emotional weight behind Harper’s journey. Learning about her life in New York and the circumstances around Kash added so much depth to the story. I also really loved Linc. He was so mature, compassionate, and understanding, which made him such a strong romantic lead—especially considering how Harper treated him in high school.
This was a really great book, and one that left me wanting to continue with the series.
Thank you to NetGalley, Montlake, and the author for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this one, as I have liked the others in this series. As someone who understands PTSD, I really appreciated how the author handled it and showed what it’s like to live with it, and how hard it can be to open up about it after hiding it for so long. That part felt really genuine to me.
Also, can we talk about the fact that she was his bully? I kind of loved that twist because you almost never see that in romance, and it added such an interesting layer to their relationship and growth.
I really loved the healing in this story. Watching both of them work through their pasts and slowly open up to each other was so emotional and rewarding. Susan Stoker is such a solid author, and this book fits right in with the rest of the series. Just a really good read, but also be sure to check out the others in the series!
Thank you to NetGalley, Susan Stoker, and Montlake for the eARC of this book.
What an amazing series, these brothers are the whole package!
Lin is the oldest brother and despite his tough childhood, has grown into quite the man. Returning home to be with his family after a tragic incident in the air force, he has some issues to deal with.
Harper wasn’t the nicest person when she was younger, and I admit I wondered if I’d find it hard to like her at all. But never fear, the author is a master at turning opinion and giving all sides of a story to make you really feel empathy towards characters you are prepared to hate!
Kash is a total scene stealer and really has the best scenes in the book in my opinion and I adore how pragmatic he is given the tough start to his childhood. He really epitomises Geek Chic and I adore how comfortable everyone makes him feel in his own skin.
Victor is a conundrum but I hope to see more of him Great read with everything you want in a fab book with drama, romance and an engrossing storyline
The Pilot is a small-town romance combined with a low level of suspense. This story is focused on second chances and forgiveness drawing history from their pasts back in school. It follows Harper, a single mom who has returned home with her son currently living with her dad in not the best situation she is offered a floor is his new house he is renovating, Lincoln has returns home he is a medically retired Air Force pilot she once bullied in high school with demons of his own.
When Harper and Kash move in with Lincoln, their complicated past resurfaces. Harper’s journey of accountability and growth is a foundation of the story especially with the links to her sons journey at his new school. Lincoln is a genuinely caring guy who has endless amounts of patience and kindness considering his insomnia and PTSD. I especially enjoyed his relationship with Harpers son Kash.
This was a great read and moves to being my favourite in the series so far. I loved it from start to finish.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Linc and Harper might seem unexpected, but once you get to know both of them, you realize just how perfect they are together. Both have shadows to vanquish, both know what they do and don’t want in life, and both are so worried that they’ll be rejected, but they still put it all out there.
All is not wonderful, though. Some serious meanness is haunting Kash, and just when we think life might be okay, a curveball is thrown. Sure, it works out, but the worry and the anxiety that come with it? Those stick for a bit. Especially for Harper. And knowing how her father reacts to things he doesn’t like or want to believe, I don’t think we’re done with the drama that he can cause for the Lobsterites. But he’s getting better. I promise. And like Linc says, he’s not all bad.
We shall see how Knox and his ride to happy go. I’m pretty sure we’re going to hit quite a few bumps this time around.
This is Book 3 in the Alpha Cove series. I have read Books 2 (The Sailor) & 3 (this one). I look forward to reading the other books in the series (about the other brothers).
I liked the characters - Harper & Linc grew up together & now are almost 40.... Harper is a single Mom to Kash, who is in 7th grade. Linc has been medically retired from the air force.
I love how they're able to put the past in the past (she bullied him in school) & he has the means to help her & does. They make a great "found family" and Linc is a great Dad to Kash.
Trigger warnings: Kidnapping, rape (off page), bullying, PTSD, plane crash & trauma from being stranded for days on end & more.
Mild spice; 🌶️🌶️
I love Linc's Mom!!! She's the best!
Thank you to the author (Susan Stoker), publisher (Montlake) & Netgalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
Another fantastic read! Lincoln is a former Air Force pilot who is haunted by his memories from the service. Harper is his former high school tormenter and a desperately struggling single parent. When they find themselves back in their home town, an unlikely friendship develops. As in all Susan Stoker books, there's far more to it then that... Before long, their circumstances have changed and they're facing a very dangerous situation. The characters have depth and felt real as they came to life on the page. I found myself totally engrossed in their story and flipping pages just as quickly as possible. Don't start this one too late in the evening, or you'll be up all night reading. This one is a must read for fans of the genre. The author is a master at her craft and is on my must read authors' list.
Linc and Harper knew each other in high school. She was his… well… his bully. She bullied him. There, I said it. Thankfully he loves her son because her son is being bullied now and she believes that’s karma. This is only a small portion of the story, but I like the issue. Harper has moved her and her son into her father’s house to help her get back on her feet but they butt heads too much and she needs to get out of his house sooner then later. Linc to the rescue when he offers for her and her son to move into his work in progress house. For free. He has no motive beyond wanting to help her. But of course one thing leads to another and this turns into a love story! Of course there is a little drama and not knowing what will happen. I loved this story!!!
Make sure you start this book early in the day, as you will not be able to put it down and will have a sleepless night once you start it. Susan Stoker once again proves that she not only understands family dynamics, but also brings angst and mayhem into her love stories. Linc and Harper might have started off as enemies but with the help of her sone Kash the trio combine for one emotional storyline. Nothing better than watching the mighty ones fall in love and realize that what they were missing is right under their noses.
Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for an advanced copy of this book!
Another Susan Stoker classic! Welcome back to Maine, where it’s time for Linc to confront his loneliness. Book felt like a warm hug with a little bit of mystery mixed in. It felt a liiiiiitle short/rushed, so knocked off a star-4 stars!
I fell in love with these characters. Linc has a big heart although you might not see it as he’s busy rehabbing his home and doesn’t interact with a lot of folks. Harper is a former mean girl now a single mother trying to get on her feet. The respect I felt for each of them made their story that much more special. I couldn’t get enough.
Whew! I have been so curious about these two backstories! Definitely did NOT have an easy go of it. Heartbreaking and gut wrenching honestly. But I’m glad they have each other now.
I just love this family dynamic and the way they’re always there for each other.